Improvement in washing-machines



A. H. CALKINS.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Patented April 25, 1876.

l l IKEI Fin .J/MMH Cal/Lina Iwvem or N- PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAP UNITEDSTATES PATENT QFFIGE.

ALMON H.0ALKINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM T. OALKINS,OF SAME PLACE;

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,596, dated April25, 1876; application filed January 15, 1876.

fully described in the following specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side View ofthe machine. Fig. 2 represents atransveise section,

taken on the line :20 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged view ofthe supportingplates, in which the sections of the jacket have theirbearings; and Fig. 4 represents an en larged transverse section, takenon the line 3 51 Fig. 2, the section being broken so as to leave theupper end of the handle-support entire.

The object of my invention is to support the roller-jacket of awashing-machine in such a manner that it will readily yield in alldirections to accommodate different thicknesses of material passingthrough the machine.

The invention consists in constructing the jacket of independentsections of rollers, which are supported in loose bearings in a rockingplate at each end, and also in several details of construction, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, A represents the baseboard, and B B the standards, ofthe machine. The lower ends of the standards are slotted, as shown at b,Fig. 2. A corrugated roller, 0, is fixed to a crank-shaft, c. This shafthas metallic bearing-pieces c placed upon it, and in putting the machinetogether the shaft is first slipped up through the slots in thestandards to the upper end thereof, and the bearing-pieces c c are thenfirmly secured by screws or otherwise to the standards. after which thebase-board is also inserted in the slots of the standards, and firmlysecured in position. The base-board is provided at its ends with slottedplates a a, by means of which the machine is attached to the tub. Abellcranked arm, D, is pivoted to each standard at d. The upper ends ofthese arms are enlarged and perforated for the reception of the ends ofa handle, E. The end supportingplates F are provided with short lugs f,which are inserted in corresponding recesses 11 in the arms D, as seenin Fig. 4. The plates F have their central portions cut away, as seen inFig. 3, and there are circular recesses f in their upper edges, whichserve as bearings for small plates, to which the rollers are attached.The jacket of rollers, which is placed above the large roller 0, isconstructed of independent sections, formed by uniting several smallrollers, G, by means of end pieces H, to which the rollers G are pivotedat each end, as seen at 9, Fig. 2. The sections are held in workingposition by placing the end plates H underneath the rim of the plate F,and bringing the projection h on the end plates H within the recess f ofthe plate F. To the ends of the handle E are attached springs I I, thelower ends of which are attached to the bearing-plates c c, and theirtension made adjustable by means of a hook on the lower end of thesprings, which is inserted in any one of a series of holes in the plates0 c. The loop at the upper end of the springs is made sufficiently largeto be easily slipped off from the ends of the handle.

It will be seen from this description that great freedom of motion isobtained for the jacket of rollers, so that it will yield readily inalmost any direction. This is accomplished by three independentmovements: first, the sections of rollers are independent of each other,and have a limited rocking motion within the flanged rim of the platesF; secondly, the plates F have an independent rocking motion upon theirbearingsf; and, thirdly, the jacket may be raised bodily, the arm Dturning upon its pivot d, and the springs I I yielding to permit thisadjustment. There is, therefore, scarcely any possibility of clogging inpassing clothes through the machine, and especially is the cloggingsometimes experienced at the center of the jacket where the sectionscome together, obviated by making the end plates of the sectionsentirely independent of each other.

The springs I I attached to the handle E hold the jacket down to itswork, and if at any time greater pressure is desired, it is readilyobtained by placing the hand upon the handle E and forcing it down.

The machine can be quickly dismantled for repairs or packing by throwingthe springs I 1 off from the handle, and turning the entire jacket backupon the arms D, when the sections and plates are easily separated,there being no permanent attachments, and the handle is slipped from thearms I) D. By removing the screws which hold the bearing-plates c c andthe base-board A in position, the dismantling of the machine iscompleted, as the base-boards, standards, and roller 0 may then beseparated from each other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination. substantially as described, of pivoted, rocking,supporting plates F, and a sectional rollerjacket, the sections of whichare independent of each other, and are provided with hearings in thesupporting plates, so as to have a limited rocking motion independentlyof the rocking movement of the supporting-plates.

2. The combination, substantially as described, of the corrugated roller0, and yielding jacket of rollers constructed in sections, which areindependent of each other, and have bearings in pivoted rockingsupporting-plates.

3. The combination, substantially as described, of the rockingsupporting-plates F, end pieces H, and rollers G, for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination, substantially as described, of swinging arms D,pivoted to the frame of the machine, and the roller-jacket, having itssupports therein, for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, substantially as described, of the swinging arms D,pivoted to the standards B, snpporting-plates F, and end plates H, forthe purposes set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as de scribed, of the handle E and thepivoted arms D, for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, substantially as described, of the pivoted arms D,jacketof roll ers supported thereon, handle E, and springs I I,connected to the frame of the machine, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, substantially as described, of the handle E,supported in the arms D, springs I I, and plates 0 0', provided with aseries of holes, and rigidly attached to the standards of the machine.

ALMON H. OALKINS.

Witnesses:

L. A. BUNTING, HEINRICH F. BRUNS.

